


Formula Won

by whoops_ima_dannie



Series: bingo 2018 fic fest [2]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Dan and Phil World Tour 2018: Interactive Introverts, Formula 1, M/M, Parent-Child Relationship, Sports, Tour Fic, bingo fic fest, dan and phil insta stories, dans insta stories, kinda like a day in the life fic but not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-05
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-07-25 17:56:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16202666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whoops_ima_dannie/pseuds/whoops_ima_dannie
Summary: based on dan and phils insta stories





	Formula Won

_London, UK, March 29, 2018, 2 pm_

 

Mercedes-Benz: Thank you so much! We really appreciate your help. If there's anything you'd want in the future just let us know.

 

Daniel Howell: a free G Wagon?

 

Mercedes-Benz: …anything but that.

  


_Sydney, Australia, September 11 2018, 10 am_

 

Dan wakes up with a jolt. Hearing something crash isn't the best way to start someone's morning. If you could even call it that. Dan looks over and sees Phil standing and staring in shock at the two desk chairs laying down on the floor. Dan sits up in bed and rubs the sleep from his eyes.

 

“Let me guess, you tripped over the chairs?”

 

Phil looks back at his boyfriend. “You know me so well.”

 

Dan shakes his head and Phil picks both of the chairs back up. He climbs back into bed and gives Dan a few kisses on his dimple and lays back down. Dan threads his fingers in Phil's hair and flips onto the news. It's not really something that he wants to be watching at the moment but it’s just background noise he can zone out to.

 

“...despite the Typhoon in southern Pacific Ocean waters, the scheduled Formula 1 race in Singapore, will proceed as planned,” well… _that_ catches Dan's attention. He totally forgot about the race! Wait, didn't someone owe them a favor? Shit. Who was it? He thinks back to all the people he’s talked to in his DMs (not that it's that many), and finally remembers who (or what) it is.

 

_Mercedes Benz._

 

He opens his phone and looks up the date of the race. September 16. He checks the calendar on his phone.

 

“Dan, what are you doing? You have that look on your face.” Phil deadpans, snapping Dan out of his thoughts.

 

“I think we can go to the race!” Phil gives him a small smile. Dan had talked about this for as long as he could remember. Phil could never seen the appeal to it. Yeah, real-life Mario Kart _seemed_ cool, but what's the point if the tracks aren't cool? No insane power-ups? No customizable cars? That’s the whole fun of the game, but if it makes Dan _this_ happy, how could he wipe that smile off Dan’s face? That glint in his eyes? He couldn't even if a gun was put to his head.

 

Dan looks back at his phone's calendar, surprisingly he has nothing to do that day. He shoots Marianne a quick text asking if they could get an invite from Mercedes.

 

Wait.

 

They could get an invite from _Mercedes Benz._

 

That's. _Crazy_.

 

Without getting the okay from their manager, (which is never a good thing), Dan switches over to Twitter and scrolls through his DMs until he finds the account he's looking for.

 

Daniel Howell: hey I know it's been a while but I have something to ask you

 

Daniel Howell: I'm asking for the favor you owe me

  


_Berkshire, England, August 8, 1997, 9:45 pm_

 

Dan looks at the clock on his nightstand. 9:45. Wow. That's late. Like, super late. So why is he still up? He’s already read his favorite book to himself and still… nothing. Not even Winnie the Pooh is making him sleepy- and that always helps! _Alright fine. I'll go find mummy, she’ll know what to do!_

 

Taking his favorite bear with him, he tiptoes into his parent's room, not wanting to disturb them- even if that's what exactly why he's coming into their room. He sees his mum on her side of the bed sleeping. The blanket barely covers her belly. He walks over to her and examines her face. She looks tired. He knows she's sleeping currently, but she hasn't been sleeping well these past few weeks. Carrying a baby in your tummy must be super hard work! Or at least, that's what she says. He tiptoes to the other side of the bed and sees his dad isn't there. _Maybe he's on the couch?_

 

Walking very quietly, he makes his way down the creaky stairs. He tiptoes into the lounge where he sees his dad sitting up, with the blanket thrown over him, watching the TV.

 

“Daddy?” Dan asks in a quiet voice, walking over to his father.

 

“Dan? What are you doing up? It's very late.”

 

“I couldn't sleep, and mum was sleeping in bed and you weren't there so I came down here.”

 

“Did you try reading a book? The Winnie the Pooh one?”

 

“It didn't work.”

 

His father sighs, “alright, come, let's watch something.” With a tiny cheer from Dan, he crawls into his Dad's lap under the covers. With his bear, _of course._ The channel is currently on some advert, so he doesn't know what he's watching.

 

“What’s on daddy?”

 

“It's called Formula 1, it's basically just a bunch of race car drivers and they all race round a track to win.”

 

“Where is it?”

 

“There are a bunch of races but this one is in Belgium.” The TV switches back to the race.

 

“Dan, it's starting! Look how fast they are going to go!”

 

_3_

 

_2_

 

_1_

 

_GO!_

 

And the cars go off! Speeding past each other and the fans on screen.

 

“Wow! They're going so fast, do you think I can run that fast? Grandma says I'm the fastest boy she’s ever seen!” Dan's Dad smiles and rubs Dan's hair.

 

“I don't think you can run that fast, but you are the fastest runner any of us have ever seen.” Dan leans into his bear and his Dad's chest. He watches in wonderment at the cars, prying each other for first place.

 

He stares at the screen taking it all in. He can't process all of this. The camera barely keeps up with the cars and the cars are really loud. The screaming fans and the lights and the colors of the cars make it _that_ much more overwhelming. But in a good way. Dan doesn't know what to focus on but he's constantly distracted, he's fine with that. If he gets bored with one thing, he can move onto another thing. His Dad wraps an arm around his stomach.

 

It’s been pretty stressful lately. His schedules being bounced around since he needs to go to all these different locations just to film _one_ movie. His wife's pregnancy isn't helping. Knowing she can go into labor at any time is scary as hell. He wants to be there when the baby’s born, but he knows he can’t drop everything in the middle of a take and race to the hospital. Financially they aren't in the best place, but they haven't been since day one. It’s a struggle sometimes, but they always manage to scrape by. He and his wife don't want to live like this but what choice do they have? Neither went to uni, his job, his paycheck fluctuates, and their families haven’t been the richest from the start. But they always managed to make it work. It may not be the way they want it, but it’s still _something_. They only want what's best for their son and future kid. Even if their best isn't always the best.

 

Dan hasn't said anything or moved in a long time. He looks down at him and the sight warms him. His son is clutching his bear, with his head snuggled into it. Very carefully, he picks Dan up, with Dan still holding his bear. He doesn't want to wake him up so he walks as slowly and quietly as he can, Dan leaning on his shoulder. Once he reaches Dan’s room, he gently places him on the bed, putting his duvet over him. He's about to walk out when Dan blinks his eyes open.

 

“Daddy?” Dan asks in a small, tired voice.

 

“Yes, bear?” His father replies, crouching down beside him on the floor.

 

Dan gives a tiny, toothless smile, “I want to be a racecar driver when I grow up.” His dad brushes the hair out of Dan's eyes.

 

“I'm sure you'll be the best race car driver ever.” Dan gives him another smile and closes his eyes.

 

“Goodnight Dan.”

 

“Goodnight daddy,” his Dad shuts the door and leaves the room.

  


_20,000 feet in the air, Pacific Ocean, September 11, 2018, 5 pm_

 

Mercedes-Benz: Sure! What did you have in mind? And no, it can't be a free car.

 

Daniel Howell: very funny

 

Daniel Howell: so you know how you guys are sponsoring the Formula 1 race

 

Mercedes-Benz: Yes.

 

Daniel Howell: is it ok if I can get some tickets for that?

 

Mercedes-Benz: We don't see why not!

 

Mercedes-Benz: How many tickets were you thinking of?  

 

“Phil!” Dan looks up from his phone and nudges Phil. Dan makes sure he doesn't scream his name and not get (literally) kicked off of the flight, 20,000 feet in the air. He's really excited about this and he knows when he feels some strong emotion… everyone else does too. Phil pauses the movie he's watching and takes off his headphones.

 

“What?”

 

“Do you want to go to the Formula 1 race with me?”  


“I don't see why not.”

 

“Yes!” He flips back to his text messages and pulls up his DMs with Marianne. She responded only a few minutes after he texted her that morning but it’s been so long he kind of forgot what she said.

 

_Dan: hey can I ask Mercedes if I can go to the formula 1 race on our day off in Singapore?_

 

_Dan: k thx_

 

_Marianne: Do what u want_

 

_Marianne: It's your free time- I’m not your mum_

 

He switches back into the twitter app. He knows Marianne won't want to go with them- despite _literally managing their tour,_ big events (especially sports) aren't her thing. He knows she won't be offended if he doesn't ask her. Hell, she'll probably be _more_ offended that he _did_ ask her.

 

Daniel Howell: only 2 tickets

 

Mercedes-Benz: I think I know the answer to this but, would you like VIP passes?

 

Daniel Howell: do i even have to answer

 

Daniel Howell: OF COURSE I DO

 

Mercedes-Benz:...I knew it.

 

_Berkshire, England, December 25, 1997, 9:30 am_

 

“Adrian look! I got you something!” Dan grabs the tiny box from the tree and walks over to his mum, who is holding his baby brother. Adrian is half asleep but he starts to wake up at the sight of his excited brother.

 

“Look I got you this Winnie the Pooh bear. I picked it out for you myself,” Dan says while opening the box for him. He sticks the bear in his brother's face and Adrian reaches out to grab it. Dan gives it to him but his brother drops it. Dan hands it back to him and his mum takes it and holds it out for Adrian to touch.

 

“Dan, I got you one more thing,” his Dad says while carrying a neatly wrapped box in from the kitchen.

 

“What is it? Dan asks as his father sits on the floor next to him.

 

“Open it,” Dan grabs the box from him and tears through the wrapping paper, eager to see what's inside.

 

He gasps when he sees the logo of the box, “YOU GOT ME A N64!? THANK YOU, DADDY!” Dan practically screams while throwing himself at his father to hug him.

 

“Just one more thing,” His dad pulls out one more present that he was hiding under the N64 box. Dan tears into that one just as fast as the first.

 

“You got me MARIO KART? I've wanted this for so long, THANK YOU!” Dan shouts as he hugs his dad again. His mum watches fondly at her older son be so enthusiastic about the littlest things. Not just this, but with everything. She silently hopes that that tiny spark in him never goes out.

 

“Daddy, can we play right now? I really want to play now,” Dan looks up at him with those tiny, but big brown eyes. His dad has always had a hard time saying no to them but this time, he has to.

 

“We have to eat breakfast and then grandma and grandpa are coming over, but once they leave we will play some Mario Kart, alright?”

 

Dan sighs, “that's fine, I just wanted to race the cars.”

 

“I pinky promise you that the second they leave I will start the game. Promise?” The father asks while holding out his pinky.

 

Dan wraps his finger around his father's, “I promise,” and they shake them.

 

“Daddy?”

 

“Yes bear?”

 

“I am going to kick your butt at Mario Kart.”

 

His dad smiles at him, “not if I win first.”

 

Dan walks over to his little brother and bends down to meet him. “Adrian, who do you think is going to win Mario Kart, me or daddy?”

 

The baby coos at him and tries to reach out and grab him. Dan turns to his father, “I think he knows I'm going to win,” he says with a smile.

  


_Above the Middle of Nowhere, Pacific Ocean, September 11, 2018, 7:05 pm_

 

Dan feels stiff. Too stiff. Business class seats on a nine-hour flight aren't doing anything for his giant legs. Dan checks his phone. 7:05 pm. Well, at least they only have about an hour to go.  He's had nothing to do for a while. He watched everything he had downloaded on Netflix and he's done all of his work. The plane Wifi had been pretty spotty since the turbulence picked up a couple of hours ago. He doesn't want to risk it. He would try to sleep, but that's been proven unsuccessful a couple of times. He would ask Phil to entertain him somehow, but he's fast asleep on his shoulder.

 

He decides to go through his text messages. Answered text messages. No ones texted him since a while ago and might as well start a conversation with someone right? He's bored. He's got nothing to do. He scrolls through and lands on his dads. They haven't talked in a couple of weeks. Well, that depends on how you define “talk”. Small talk? Two weeks. Actual conversation? A couple of months. It's not that they don't care about each other, just the opposite in fact but, things have been… weird since his parents separated. His dad rents a small apartment outside of London and his mums still living in his childhood home. One minute his parents never want to see or hear from each other ever again, the next minute it’s like they never broke up’ his dad’s ready to move back in again. Ready to have a better relationship with both of his sons again. Then his parents aren't talking.

 

The last thing Dan sent him was a few pictures he and Phil took at Hobbiton in New Zealand. He thought his dad would get a kick out them since he filmed Lord of the Rings there, and since he helped build the set. And he did. His dad asked about the place, if this thing was still there or if that thing was moved. He asked about Phil and Martyn and Cornelia. They talked a little bit about the tour. And that was it. Something in Dan wants more. Something inside of him just wants to just call him and _talk_. About what? Dan doesn’t know. A part of him misses that.

 

He stares at the keyboard, watching the cursor blink. He gets an idea. Something to talk about. To talk about the reason why he's going to the race in the first place.

 

Dan: hey dad guess where I'm going

 

His dad sees his text fairly quick. Which is a bit of a surprise. He's a procrastinator, just like Dan. An introvert, just like Dan.

 

Dad: Australia? I think? Did you go to Asia yet?

 

Dan: well i’m actually almost in Singapore but no

 

Dad: ?

 

Dan: i mean, guess what's happening once we get there

 

Dan: we’re i’m going to the formula 1 race!

 

Dad: Holy shit no way!

 

Dad: That's awesome!

 

Dan: try to look for me and phil in the background lol

 

Dad: I won't let you down

 

Dad: When is it again? I want to watch it

 

Dan: the 16th

 

Dad: See you then!

  


_Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore, September 16, 2018, 8:45 pm_

 

To say that Dan is excited is an understatement. He has been wanting this for a good part of his life. The rush of the cars whizzing past him. The smell of the motor oil. The fans screaming along with him, at the sight of one of the racers. The fact that he could just bump into one of the drivers at any time _fascinates_ him. Then again, having VIP passes only helps the situation. They actually did get to meet a few. They were nice but confused as to who they were. Most VIP holders are sports and racing people, not really the fans. To the racers they seemed important, considering the two of them stopped to take a picture every five minutes. But what were they going to say to them?  Phil, while slightly confused seems to be enjoying himself. Or at least, enjoying himself for Dan. But at least he's showing enthusiasm, right? Besides, he’s just comparing literally _everything_ to Mario Kart. _For the last time Phil, blue shells don't exist in real life._  After walking around the stadium and taking a few pictures for Instagram, it was finally time for the race to begin and head back to their seats. Club box seats, Dan might add.

 

Dan takes a few (blurry) pictures of the cars and the track and sends it to his dad. He guesses it’s about midday back over in the UK. He gets a response back. A picture of the crowd on TV. If you look really closely, you can see the outline of Dan and Phil. Its fuzzy, and it doesn't really look like them, but compared to the rest of the crowd they stand out like a sore thumb.

 

The race goes on and they send pictures back and forth and they talk a little bit.

 

Dan: did you see the car like basically explode?

 

Dad: Yeah I did, I hope the drivers okay

 

Dan doesn't really know what to focus on. He wants to watch the race, he wants to rattle off random facts about it to Phil and gush about it like a little kid. He wants to talk to and bond with his dad. Something that hasn't really happened in a long time. _God, why do things like this always happen at the worst possible times?_

 

Time passes pretty quickly. Soon enough the race is over and the winner's ceremony has finally ended. They get in the car to talk them back to the hotel. This tour has taken a lot out of Dan. Between the shows, events like these, _traveling,_ it’s beginning to take a huge toll on him. He just wants to crawl in a dark hole and not talk to anybody for a couple of days. So why does he want to talk to his dad so badly?

 

It feels like a tugging in his chest. A nudging in his brain that keeps telling him to do it. Besides this is the only time he'll probably be able to until they get back home, and Dan doesn't know how long he will be able to deal with all of this. _Fuck it, only good things can come out of this right?_ He swipes over to his contact list. He scrolls through until he finds who he’s looking for and dials the number. _Oh god, why am I doing this? The phone bill is going to be massive when we get home._ The line picks up after a couple of rings. _Oh well, too late to turn back now._

 

“Dan?”

 

Dan smiles, “hi dad.”

  


**Author's Note:**

> [ follow me on tumblr!!!](https://jamie-with-a-g.tumblr.com)


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